The present invention relates to devices for delivering, injecting, dispensing, infusing or administering substances, and to methods of making and using such devices. More particularly, it relates to an adapter for an appliance or device for administering an injectable product, such as is used, for example in known injection and infusion appliances and devices, for closing a receiving compartment for a container, generally an ampoule. By such an adapter, the container is fixed in a defined or selected position for dosed administration of a substance therein. In some embodiments, the adapter also creates a product connection between the container, or a container outlet, and a catheter, cannula, needle or the like that is attached to the appliance. The invention further relates to injection and infusion appliances and devices with such an adapter.
In insulin therapy, for example, injection and infusion appliances are used in which a product to be administered is forced from an ampoule, by displacement of a plunger received in the ampoule towards an ampoule outlet, and expelled through a catheter and through an injection needle connected to the latter. The advance, advancing or dispensing movement of the plunger is effected by a drive device. The drive device comprises a manually operated or motor-driven plunger rod which is moved in the advance direction of the plunger. In simple syringes, to which the present invention also relates, such a plunger rod can also be pressed directly by hand in the advancing direction. During its own displacement in the advancing direction, the plunger rod presses the plunger towards the ampoule outlet, as a result of which the product is expelled.
The present invention relates to appliances for product administration in which the plunger received in the container is secured to the plunger rod, by the plunger and the plunger rod being connected, e.g., screwed together, upon insertion of the container.
For this connecting, a person using the known appliances has to grip the container, insert it into the receiving shaft of the appliance and, after obtaining the required contact between the plunger and the plunger rod, screw the plunger onto the plunger rod by turning the container. For reasons of sterility, the container outlet is in most cases closed by a closure cap that has to be removed after the plunger has been screwed on and/or before the receiving compartment is closed. It is also possible for the container outlet to be closed by a membrane, which is pierced by a needle after insertion of the container.
The handling of the container in this procedure is known to be awkward. Moreover, displacements of the plunger in the container until the completion of the screwed connection to the plunger rod are hard to avoid, such that air is sucked into the container or product is expelled at the latest when the closure cap is removed or the membrane pierced.